Grant frowns on vote buying

VOTE BUYING WASN’T just a political gimmick that was talked about on political platforms in the just concluded General Election.

Defeated Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate Rodney Grant is claiming that vote buying reared its ugly head on polling day last Thursday.

Speaking at a Press conference at the Marcus Garvey Resource And Development Centre, Wildey, St Michael, yesterday, Grant contended that what he witnessed on Election Day was a slap in the face of those people who sacrificed their lives so all Barbadians could have the right to vote.

“I find it a significant insult in this day that Barbadians would want to take votes so lightly as to sell their franchise for $100 and $200 . . . . When I think that a person chooses a political representative not because on what they stand for, not necessarily because of an ideology, not necessarily because of a particular philosophical stance, but because of a short-term dollar bill, for me it is worrying.

“This is one of the most worrying aspects. Some people came up to me with some strange stories and strange requests which I seriously put down . . . in some vociferous ways because it annoyed me to the hilt,” he said.

Grant, who lost in the St Michael South East contest, said he did not believe this trend could be turned around in the short term, but might take another five decades because it was now a “culture” and one which threatened Barbados’ democratic system.

Grant could not state if he would attempt another bid at the polls in the next General Election, although he had already begun to receive requests from constituents to do so.

However, he did make it clear that he would continue to represent the people of St Michael South East in or out of politics.

He congratulated the Barbados Labour Party and his opponent Santia Bradshaw on their victory. (SDB Media)